THE PARISHES OF AND

Dear Friends

Talk of climate change is everywhere; the evidence of it, the reasons for it, the implications of it for all of us.

It seems that the temperate seasonal weather that previous generations took for granted and that has been such a blessing to these Islands is being replaced by a more extreme far less predictable pattern of weather. We may have to get used to high winds, torrential rain and fluctuating temperatures, and elsewhere around the world, more of the same. The prospect of a less comfortable, less convenient way of life is not made any more attractive by the knowledge that it results from over-use of the earth and its resources.

Recently, the Government’s Chief Scientist voiced his concern over global food shortages and urged action to address the problem of demand for food exceeding what can be grown and supplied. Our own concern for food security must not allow us to adopt a solution that ignores the needs of others; this is a global problem, and we are all in it together.

Here in , the arrival of spring is increasingly evident: “Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain, wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain.” The sight of this year’s growth beginning in our gardens and fields and along the hedgerows can bring us all a real sense of joy and reassurance about the coming summer.

On the last Sunday in April churches throughout this country will pray to God, our creator and sustainer, for this year’s harvest, for those who work on land and sea, and that the earth will bear fruit in due season. Agriculture in this country has had all sorts of difficulties to contend with in recent years. The need for harmony, mutual understanding, good stewardship and collaboration, with the natural environment and in the market place, between producer, supplier and consumer has never been greater.

Whether you are in Church on Rogation Sunday or not, do please join us in praying that mankind may be: “wise and faithful stewards of your gifts, that we may serve the common good, maintain the fabric of our world and seek that justice where all may share the good things you pour upon us.”

I hope that you are able to enjoy all the beauty and joy of spring this year.

Robin Alderson 1

Assistant Priest: Reverend Robin Alderson 688255 Brandeston Elders: Mrs Mary Baker 685807 Dr Anthony Fletcher 685508 Miss Eileen Leach MBE 685298

Churchwardens: Miss Eileen Leach MBE 685298 Mrs Alison Molyneux 685244 Kettleburgh Elders: Mrs Jackie Clark 723623 Mrs Valerie Upson 723078

Churchwardens: Mr John Bater 723532 Mrs Valerie Upson 723078

Cover This month’s cover is a lovely drawing by Anthony Fletcher. Many thanks, Anthony, for preparing this at short notice. It reminds us of spring – but without the Easter snow!

DIARY FOR APRIL 2008

Wednesday 2 nd 7pm Church special service – see below. Thursday 3 rd 11am Brandeston 100+ Club Draw at Coffee Morning in Village Hall. Friday 4 th 10am – 12 Kettleburgh Café Coffee Morning at Kettleburgh noon Village Hall including 1 st draw of Lottery Club – see below. Tuesday 8 th 7.30pm Kettleburgh Village Hall AGM – see below. Friday 11 th 7.30pm Film Club – ‘The Third Man’ at Brandeston village hall Wednesday 16 th 7pm Brandeston Annual Parochial Church Meeting followed by talk on “Orkney & The Italian Chapel” by Mary Moore, at Brandeston Village Hall – see below. Friday 18 th 7.30pm Lady Tollemache Speech at Brandeston Village Hall, in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice – see below Friday 25 th 7pm for Whist Drive at Brandeston Village Hall – see below. 7.30 start Sunday 27 th 3pm Rogation Service at Church Farm, Kettleburgh – see below. Monday 28 th 7.30pm ‘Mardle’; Talk on ‘What’s New in the Garden’ at Easton Farm Park – see below. 2 LETHERINGHAM CHURCH SERVICE Wednesday 2 April – Laura Kerr will be bringing the ‘Y’ Club to a special service at Letheringham church. There will be refreshments; everyone welcome. Sylvia Keene *************

KETTLEBURGH CAFÉ – 4 April Kettleburgh Green Trust Lottery Club's first draw at 11am - £25 first prize, £10 second prize. The response in Kettleburgh has been fantastic, but if you have not joined the lottery club yet, you still can. If you miss the deadline of 31 March don't worry, you can join throughout the year and just pay for the months left - £1 per month (just 25p per week). Don't forget that you can buy your fresh bread, lamb, beef and pork, and free-range eggs at the Kettleburgh Cafe and at the same time enjoy a coffee or tea with friends with home- made cakes and excellent hot sausage rolls (supplied by Anne Bater at Church Farm). Gwenda Weeks *************

KETTLEBURGH VILLAGE HALL The AGM of the Village Hall Committee will be held on Tuesday 8 April 2008 at 7.30 pm in the hall. Everyone is very welcome to attend and to stay for the committee meeting which will follow the AGM. Liz Marzetti, Secretary ************* BRANDESTON APCM The Annual Parochial Church Meeting for Brandeston will take place on Wednesday 16 April in Brandeston Village Hall. The evening will begin at 7pm, and anyone on the electoral roll is most welcome to attend. Following the meeting there will be refreshments at 7.45pm, and then Mary Moore will give a short talk on “Orkney and the Italian Chapel”. This is a fascinating insight into an episode in the last war, and anyone wishing to come to this talk and the refreshments beforehand will be most welcome. Alison Molyneux

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LADY TOLLEMACHE SPEECH – 18 April Award winning landscape and garden designer Lady Tollemache will be giving a talk entitled ‘The use of plants in design across the British Isles’, and will also launch St Elizabeth Hospice’s season of Open Gardens. Tickets cost £5.00 including refreshments.

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"DON'T BE AN APRIL FOOL - COME TO THE BRANDESTON WHIST DRIVE" ! Don't be taken for an April Fool! Be smart and come and join us at Brandeston Village Hall on Friday, 25 April 2008 for an evening of fun and cards. Doors open at 7.00 pm

3 with cards dealt at 7.30 pm sharp. You will enjoy excellent and amusing company, good food and the very best of wines all for the amazingly low price of £2.50 per person. Our genial ex-Police Sergeant, Don Evans, also offers you the chance to win Draw Prizes that have been described by past winners as "incredible" ! So don't be taken for an April Fool. Be there - Brandeston Village Hall, 7.00 pm for a 7.30 pm start on Friday, 25 April 2008. You would be a Fool to miss it! Just call Pam or Rick Reade on 685920 to reserve your place. Rick and Pam Reade

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ROGATION SUNDAY SERVICE This year Rogation Sunday falls on 27 April when we will be holding our special outdoor service at 3.00pm. As last year it will be at Church Farm, Kettleburgh by kind invitation of John and Anne Bater and we will be asking for God’s blessing on the crops, the livestock, the gardens and all the activities of village life. This is a community event shared by Brandeston and Kettleburgh so we hope everyone will come along to enjoy the occasion on what we hope will be a warm, sunny day although if it should be wet (as last year) we can make use of John’s very fine marquee. After the service there will be a chance to chat over tea and we would be grateful to anyone who can make a cake to bring along. As in past years there will be a collection to be given to Christian Aid. VU ************* MARDLE – 28 April Andrew Tokely, horticultural manager of Thompson and Morgan, will be talking about ‘What’s New in the Garden’. Admission £6, which includes drinks and nibbles. (Please note: this is the last Mardle to be held at Easton Farm Park. The venue will then be moving to Easton Village Hall)

ADVANCED NOTICES

Thursday 1 st May Deanery Ascension Day Service Friday 2 nd May Wine Society – French Country Wine at Brandeston Village Hall. Contact Martin Churchill 07810 023207 if you wish to come along Saturday 10 th May 8am – 12 Kettleburgh Plant Sale at Village Hall – see noon below. Wednesday 14 th May 7.30pm Kettleburgh Annual Parish Meeting – see “Kettleburgh Parish Council” below. Wednesday 14 th May 8pm Brandeston Annual Parish Meeting at Village Hall – see below. Wednesday 14 th May 7..30pm Archdeacon’s Visitation at St Michaels’ Church,

4 Friday 16 th May a.m. Archdeacon visits Brandeston, Kettleburgh and Easton churches Saturday 17 th May Easton May Fair Monday 19 th May Mardle at Easton village hall. Dr John Blatchley, former headmaster of Ipswich School will be talking about the history of Letheringham Priory. Wednesday 21 st May 7.30pm Kettleburgh Annual Parish Council Meeting Sunday 25 th May St Botolph’s Choir at Easton Church Sunday 8 th June Concert in Easton Church. Orwell Park Community Choir will sing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’. Tim Butterworth on the organ. Proceeds to both Letheringam and Easton churches. Saturday 14 th June Kettleburgh Fete – see below. Sunday 15 th June Easton Festival – anyone wishing to submit work to the Art Exhibition (which is this year being run by Letheringham) please apply to Fiona Kerr at the Farm Park for details. Saturday 21 st June Brandeston Fete Sunday 22 nd June 11am – Kettleburgh Gardens Open Day 5pm Sunday 6 th July Strawberry Tea at Kettleburgh Village Hall Sunday 6 th July Annual Riverside Party at Easton, with buffet lunch and music. Sunday 13 th July 3.00pm “Music at Watermill” i.a.o. Kettleburgh Village Green Sunday 27 th July Suffolk Autojumble at Church Farm, Kettleburgh Thursday 4 th 10.30am Cats Protection Coffee Morning at Manly, September – 12 Kettleburgh. Guest of honour: Innis Cloete, Esq. noon B.V.Sc, MRCVS Sunday 14 th 12 noon Hog roast on the green at Kettleburgh Village September – 4pm Green

KETTLEBURGH PLANT SALE Advance notice of the annual plant sale which will be held on Saturday 10 May. Derek Hill will be growing his usual wide selection of tomatoes, but this year we would like to extend the provision of plants for the garden more widely. When you are sowing your seeds this spring, perhaps you could sow a few extra, grow some extra plants and pot them up ready for the sale. Flowers and vegetables will be most welcome. Or maybe when you are dividing your herbaceous plants this spring, pot up those you don’t have room for replanting and save them for the sale too. We will also have a produce stall, so if you have made marmalade, perhaps you will have a spare jar ready to bring along. More news next month. Jackie Clark ************* 5

KETTLEBURGH PARISH COUNCIL Those of you who have read the February Kettleburgh Parish Council newsletter may be wondering about the missing questionnaire. KPC is considering the idea of a ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’, as outlined in the newsletter. However, it was decided at the last minute that a broader survey of the Parish should be carried out, with the Good Neighbour Scheme as one of the possible outcomes. You will have the opportunity to discuss this topic and any others of interest or concern at the Annual Parish Meeting. This will be held on Wednesday 14 May, in the Village Hall at 7.30pm The Annual Parish Meeting also provides an opportunity for everyone to hear from our local representatives: County and District Councillors, the Safer Neighbourhoods Team from Suffolk Police, local organisations and our own Parish Council Chairman are all invited to give reports. More details to follow. Jackie Clark. ************* BRANDESTON ANNUAL PARISH MEETING Brandeston Parish Council encourages all residents to attend the Brandeston Annual Parish Meeting at the Village Hall on Wednesday, 14 May at 8.00 pm. Apart from the usual updates on the Council’s year and finances, the agenda this year will include a report on the current status of the parish plan. As residents will know, this is a most important subject to influence the future of our village. And, the draw for four prizes of £25 for those who returned questionnaires will take place. Another item included will be discussion on a possible Good Neighbour Scheme for Brandeston. Please come to the meeting to consider our future. Mark Hounsell

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KETTLEBURGH VILLAGE FETE – Saturday 14 th June Preparations are well under way and we now have some requests which we hope you can help us with. Why not start a ‘For The Fete box’ ? Keep it by your recycle boxes and as you spring clean put those White Elephant stall items you find in it ready for us to collect on the Wednesday before the fete. As last year we are hoping to have a ‘Smashing Time’ stall so any old or chipped crockery will be welcome. A new stall this year, hopefully, will have handbags (in reasonable condition), jewellery, (nothing too precious!) and scarves (not woollen but more pashmina /thin dressy ones) We will need a team of volunteers to help sell Grand Draw tickets at Solar on Friday 23 May, and Saturday 31 May and on the Market Hill on Saturday 7 June. Please let Pat Bishop (723657) or me Valerie Compton (723080) know if you have some spare time on these days to help - anything from ½ hour upwards.

6 On the day of the Fete we need people to help set up as well as about 30 people at any one time manning the stalls .We need to have more than this number so we can give these people time to look round the fete themselves. If you can help please let us know. We do need a 2 nd face painter so if this is your skill (small designs not full face) please let me know. A lot of requests I know but our fete is only a success because so many people give so much help. Thank you in anticipation. Valerie C

Remaining 2008 Dates 4 April 5 September 2 May 3 October 6 June 7 November 4 July 5 December 1 August

PAST EVENTS

BRANDESTON 100+ CLUB Result for March draw:- First – Lloyd Berry Second – Keith Goodchild The next draw for those who renew their membership (or who are new members) will take place at the village hall on Thursday 3 April at 11.00am Mark Hounsell

NOTICES

GIRLGUIDING FRAMLINGHAM Did you know that the Girl Guides will be celebrating their centenary in 2010? Girlguiding UK as we are now called has around 600,000 members in the UK with over 10 million members worldwide. In Framlingham we have groups for Rainbows (5-7), Brownies (7-10), Guides (10-14+). These units attract girls from many villages as well as Framlingham itself and most are almost full. We are looking for more adult volunteers to support existing leaders and help “spread the load”. You can help out as little or as much as you want. Everyone is encouraged to 7 make the most of their talents and to enjoy what they do. There are also lots of opportunities to learn new skills, take part in new experiences and have a great deal of fun. If you’d like to have a great time, meet new people and put something back into the community I’d like to hear from you. If you’re not sure you can always come along and see how things go. Claire Norman 724372 or [email protected]

************* COMMEMORATIVE KNEELER Kettleburgh church has been given a beautiful kneeler to commemorate the wedding of Emma Whatling and Tim Nunn which took place in the church on 7 August 2004. Carefully made by Pam Nunn and brought to the church by Julie Whatling it is much appreciated. We send our love and thanks to them and to Emma and Tim. VU *************

ST ELIZABETH HOSPICE St Elizabeth Hospice was established in 1989 and cares for patients in East Suffolk who have a life-limiting illness for whom the focus of care is quality of life. Our services include an in-patient unit, day care services, out patient clinic, a Hospice at Home service, family support team, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and complementary therapies such as massage, reiki and aromatherapy. St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent charity and all of the wide ranging services are provided free of charge to patients, families and carers. It costs £8 per minute to run St Elizabeth Hospice, with annual running costs of £4.2 million. The hospice hosts many events during the year (some are listed in brief below) – further details can be found on the website, www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk or call the fundraising office on 01473 723600.

April/May Gym Challenge Various gyms 5 April ‘An evening of Bach to the Woodbridge Community Centre. Tickets Beatles’ £7.50 9 April Ladies Golf Day Seckford Hall Golf Club. Tickets £35 18 April Lady Tollemache Speech Brandeston Village Hall – see diary 19/20 Skydive Weekend Old Buckenham Airfield, Norfolk April May A Day in May Fundraising events 1 May Hospice Golf Day Hintlesham Hall Golf Club 12 May Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge 24 May Midnight Walk Ipswich Town Centre 8 June Orwell Walk Walk 12,18 or 25 miles 28/29 June Ladies Driving Challenge Bentwaters Park, 28/29 June Hospice Zip Slide Ipswich Town Football Club

8 Throughout the summer months many gardens are open to the public. These spectacular gardens have unique features; from woodland walks, sculptures, bluebell woods, natural ponds, lakes, rose gardens, courtyard garden and ride on railway. For more information, visit the website.

Open Garden Dates 2008 11 May The Rookery , , Woodbridge IP12 2RR 11 May Tollemache Hall , Little Bricet, Offton IP8 4RT 18 May The Place For Plants , East Bergholt 25 May College Farm , Forward Green, IP14 5EH 25 May Chapel Farm , Fen Lane, Earl Stonham IP14 5EF 1 June Kirton Hall , Kirton IP10 0PH 8 June The Old Rectory , IP10 0HY 8 June The Great House , 55 Church Street, Orford IP12 2NT 15 June Penshurst , IP6 9AL 15 June Berghersh Place , IP6 9EZ 22 June The Badgers , Rattlesden Road, Drinkstone 29 June Barham Hall , Barham, Ipswich IP6 0PT 29 June Stanny House Farm , , Woodbridge IP12 2EY 29 June Decoy Cottage, Iken , Woodbridge 29 June Sulleys Manor , Lower Raydon, Ipswich IP7 5LG 29 June Water House Farm , Lower Layham, Ipswich IP7 5RA 13 July Hungerdowns , Hungerdown Lane, Ardleigh CO7 7LZ 20 July Kirton Light Railway , 68 Road, Kirton 10 August The Hermitage , Alton Green, Lower Holbrook IP9 2RN 10 August Vine Cottage , Alton Gree, Lower Holbrook IP9 2RN 6 September High Hall , Nettlestead, Ipswich IP8 4QT 14 September Bentley Grove , Bentley, Ipswich IP9 2DD

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CO-ORDINATING VILLAGE EVENTS IN KETTLEBURGH Now that there are several organisations that provide events for the village, we have the possibility of clashes of dates, especially in the summer months. As Parish Clerk, I am happy to act as co-ordinator, to avoid dates being double booked. As soon as I receive the date of an event, I will post it on the website ( www.kettleburgh.suffolk.gov.uk ). I can also produce a paper list for the village notice board. If you are organising an event for Kettleburgh, those are the places to look. If you can also let the magazine editor, Val Butcher, know, we should not get into any difficulties. You can contact me on: 723623, and email on: [email protected] Jackie Clark *************

9 VILLAGE WEBSITES For up-to-date information about your village, visit these websites: www.brandeston.net www.kettleburgh.suffolk.gov.uk ************* MAGAZINE ARTICLES Please send, deliver or e-mail any contributions for the magazine by 15 th of each month to: Mrs Val Butcher, Woodlands, Church Road, Kettleburgh, or e-mail [email protected] , tel: 724777.

EASTON HARRIERS HUNT The final meet for the 2007-8 hunting season was held on 1 March on Easton Green. It was a fantastic sight, a beautiful sunny day, the village sign and the church making a brilliant backdrop. How fortunate we are to live in rural Suffolk! There was a good turn out of riders (more than 40) and a sprinkling of local onlookers to complete the scene. Before the Hunt moved off, Mrs Lydia Harvey, the Deputy Master, told us that this was Robert Moffat’s last hunt and that he would be greatly missed, both by the Hunt and within the community. She spoke of his skill in the hunting field, his love of horse and hound, and that he was a very popular and likeable man. He has always been well supported, she said, by his partner Sarah. Robert came to Easton in 2002, having been Huntsman for the Stour Valley Beagles. Both he and Sarah leave Easton on 30 April as Robert takes up the position as Huntsman for the Royal Artillery Fox Hounds at Bulford Army Camp on Salisbury Plain. They will be drag hunting over large areas of grass, ruts, tank tracks and copses; he will have a field of about sixty on Saturdays. There will be more hunting because they will not be restricted by agricultural activity; but there could be unexploded bombs! Robert will be sad to leave Suffolk which he loves, especially the warmth of the people, but he will have an easier life by having help with the hounds and preparing the horses. We wish Robert and Sarah well as they leave to take up a new life. Take with you our good wishes and our love. God bless you.

The Kennels will be taken over by Adrian Robinson who was formerly Huntsman for the Aldenham Hounds in Hertfordshire. Adrian has been in Easton before when Robert injured his back. We welcome Adrian and hope he will soon feel settled in the village and enjoying a good hunting season. Graham Vellacott

10 TIMES PAST

The War of Jenkins’ Ear. Have you ever heard of such an event? The campaign lasted from 1739 to 1742 and resulted in the destruction of Sir Robert Walpole’s career as Prime Minister. This February Stephen Martin, who lives in , whose family originally came from Brandeston, unearthed a commemorative medal of the war in a nearly parish. Apparently a vast number of these pinchbeck decorations were minted at that time. The story developed thus:- In 1731 Robert Jenkins, a captain in the British merchant navy, was carrying on an illegal trade in some of the Spanish colonies when he was intercepted by one of their ships. During the subsequent struggle his ear was torn off. Later in 1738 he showed what had happened to the House of Commons. This caused an outcry. Although Walpole favoured a peaceful negotiation, it failed and in 1739 the War of Jenkins’ Ear broke out. Admiral Edward Vernon (1684-1757) was sent with patriotic fervour to put matters right. The medal commemorated his victory over the Spanish at Porto Bello (present day Panama) in the West Indes, on November 22 nd 1739. The medal is truly captivating. The obverse depicts the hero, Admiral Vernon, with the words, ‘The British Glory revived by Admiral Vernon’. His subsequent overseas fame resulted in George Washington’s Virginian birthplace being named Mount Vernon. Colonel Lawrence Washington, Washington’s father served under Vernon in the American Colonial Force. Vernon was known by the nickname ‘Old Grog’ because he wore a grogram cloak, a coarse fabric made of silk, mohair and wool. He was also responsible for the 1740 introduction of the ‘Grog Ration’, a mixture of rum and water issued to sailors until 1970. The reverse of the medal shows the battle scene surrounded by the inscription, ‘He took Porto Bello with six ships only, 1739 by courage and conduct.’ The sunshine dances as the waves move and the six ships, triumphant and jubilant, under full sail. A little bit of the 18 th century which has come to light now. WMW

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